Container for absorbent cotton



June I 1935.

G. B. MEAGHER CONTAINER FOR ABSORBENT COTTON Filed Dec. 13, 1950 Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Kendall Compaay, Boston, Mass a corporation Application December 13, 1930, Serial No. 502,042 12 Claims. (Cl. 206-635) This invention relates to a package or container for holding absorbent cotton.

In many instances it is desirable to have absorbent cotton readily available for use in small amounts, as for example, in wiping cuts, for dental use, and the like. The ordinary package containing a roll of cotton is cumbersome and inconvenient for use on such occasions.

The object of my invention is to provide a container in which cotton in rope or strip form may be packed and subsequently withdrawn therefrom in small amounts as it is needed for use.

The invention resides specifically in the provision in the container of a pair of spaced end walls through which the end of the strip is threaded, the walls being constructed in such a manner as to prevent snarling or bunching oi the cotton as it is being pulled from the container.

20 The invention also involves the use in the outer end wall of the container of an opening surrounded by resilient tongues which yield suiflciently to permit strips of various sizes to be used in the container. The tongues also serve to exert a retarding effect on the cotton which prevents it from passing through the opening too freely.

The invention will be fully understood from ,the following detailed description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a container constructed according to the invention;

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the container;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the container taken as indicated by the line 3-3012 Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the upper end of the container taken on the line 4& of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing the container consists of a boxshaped compartment 5 of rectangular cross sectlon, the side walls 6 of said compartment being closed at their lower ends by an end wall which prevents exposure of the cotton to the atmosphere. The cotton is in the form of a rope or strip 1 which is arranged in the compartment 5 in coil form as shown in Fig. 3. Ordinarily the strip 1 is of circular cross section, this being the form of the cotton as it comes from the cards in the cotton mill. The upper end of the container is provided with a pair of spaced and walls 8 and 9 which are provided, respectively, with openings H and i2 through which one end of the strip I is threaded to provide an exposedtui't It on the upper end of the package. The end wall 8, which may be made of cardboard, is provided to align the strip 1 preparatory. to its withdrawal from the package through the 5 opening l2. The opening II in the wall 8 is equal toor slightly greater than the diameter of the strip I. The top wall 9 should be made of material which is relatively stifi but which has some degree of resiliency. It may be made of tin, 10 aluminum, fibre, orsimilar material. The opening I2 is considerably smaller than the Opening H to afford a constriction for holding back the strip 1. The walls of this opening are made yieldable by providing in the wall 9 of a series of radial- 15 ly extending slits l4 which provide tongues ii for yieldingly engaging the strip 1. When the tuft I3 is grasped to remove a bunch of cotton the tongues l5 yield upwardly as indicated in Fig. 4,

thereby partially retarding the withdrawal of the 20 cotton from the package and exerting sufllcient pressure on the strip 1 to permit of the tearing of a wad of cotton from the main body of the strip.

The double end wall section consisting of the g walls 8 and 9 may be assembled as a separate unit and then inserted in the container compartment 5. In the embodiment shown the inner end wall 8 consists of a top layer l6 and a bottom layer II which may be made by doubling a single strip of 30 cardboard upon itself, as shown, to form said top and bottom layers. One end of this strip is bent upwardly to form a flange I8, as shown in Fig. 3. The opposite side edgesof this strip are also bent upwardly to form vertical flanges 23, the 35 top edges of sand flanges being bent at right angles to form the inwardly flared portions 24 for engaging against the top wall 9. The top wall 9, which, as previously stated is made of some resilient material such as tin or fibre, is made by bend- 40 ing a flat sheet downwardly at its opposite ends to form the flanges I 9, one of which telescopes over the flange I8 01' the end wall 8. The opposite side walls or this sheet rest upon the inwardly flared portions 24 and may be sealed thereto 45 to bind together the inner and outer end wall sections. AIter these telescoping parts are glued together the assembled unit is inserted into the upper end of the compartment 5 in the position shown to form a shoulder 20 with the side walls 8.

The upper end of the container is sealed by a removable cap member 25. In the embodiment shown this cap member consists of a box-shaped cover, the side walls of which seat against the shoulder 20 formed bythe upper edges 01' the side I walls 6. The cap member 25 is sufliciently deep so that when it is placed on the upper end of the container body a surficient space will be providedusually placed about a half inch below the wall 9 and serves to hold back the reserve supply of cotton, permitting the upper convolution to be pulled through the wall 9 easily and without forcing one convolution of the coil into engagement with another convolution or section of the strip while it is moving toward the outlet opening.

While I have shown the container body in the form of a package of rectangular cross section it will be apparent that other desired forms may be used. The container body shown may be made cheaply so that it may be discarded after the supply of cotton has been exhausted. The package when not in use is completely sealed, so that there is very little chance for contamination by dust or other impurities. When a wad of cotton is desired the cap member 25 may be easily removed and the desired amount picked from the tuft l3 either by the fingers or by means of tweezers. The pull exefied on the strip when a wad is thus removed serves to draw the strip through the opening l2 sufiiciently to replace the amount used.

As the strip passes through the opening l2 it is compressed considerably by the tongues i5 and hence is strong enough to maintain itself until it is pulled through the aperture. After the strip clears the opening I2 the pressure thereon, which confines it on all sides, is released, and the strip again assumes its normal diameter by reason of the fiufiy nature of the cotton. As soon as the strip expands, its strength is reduced, and hence a pull on the exposed tuft will tear the cotton above the aperture, and not in. the aperture. The provision of the restrictedopening thus serves'to automatically regulate the egress of the cotton from the container, always providing an exposed tuft from which the cotton may be picked as it is needed for use.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and Letters Patent is:

1. A container for absorbent cotton comprising a container body, said body being closed at one end and provided at the other end with a pair of spaced end walls, the outer of said end walls being provided with an outlet opening through which cotton in strip form may be drawn from the container, the inner end wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said outlet opening in the outer end wall.

2. A container for absorbent cotton comprising a container body, said body being closed at one end and provided at the other end with a pair of spaced end walls, the outer of said end walls being provided with an outlet opening through which cotton in strip form may be drawn from the container, the inner end wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said outlet opening in the outer end wall, and

desire to secure by a removable cap member affording a closure for.v

cotton in strip form may be drawn from the container, and an auxiliary end wall spaced inwardly from said apertured end wall, said auxiliary wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said opening in the outer end wall,- said opening in the outer end wall being constricted to partially retard withdrawal of the cotton from the container.

4. A container for absorbent cotton comprising a container body, said body being closed at one end and provided at the other end with an end wall having an opening therein through which cotton in strip form may be drawn from the container, and an auxiliary end wall spacedinwardly from said apertured end wall, said auxiliary wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said opening in the outer end wall, the opening in said auxiliary wall being approximately equal to the diameter of the strip, and the opening in the outer wall being somewhat less than the diameter'of the strip whereby to partially restrain withdrawal of the cotton from the container.

5. A container for absorbent cotton comprising a container body provided with side and end walls affording a compartment for holding a quantity of cotton in strip form, one of said end walls being flexible and having an opening therein through which the strip may be pulled from the container, and a partitioning wall spaced inwardly from said 'apertured end wall, said partitioning wall having an opening therein through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said opening in the end wall.

6. A container for absorbent cotton comprising a container body provided with side and end walls affording a compartment for holding a quantity of cotton in strip form, one of said end walls being provided with an outlet opening through which the strip may be pulled from the container, the portion of said wall adjacent the opening therein being slit to provide resilient tongue members for yieldingly engaging the strip and partially retarding withdrawal of the same from the container, and an auxiliary end wall spaced inwardly from said apertured end wall, said auxiliary wall being provided with an outlet opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said opening in the end wall.

'7. A dispensing package for absorbent cotton and the like comprising a container, 9. mass of fibres loosely combined in strip form therein, a wall of the container having an opening therein adjacent a free end of the strip, the strip being so disposed in the container that an end thereof may be progressively removed through said opening without disturbing the body of the mass, and an auxiliary wall spaced inwardly from the wall of the container having the outlet opening therein, said auxiliary wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of the container to said outlet opening in the outer wall.

8. A dispensing package for absorbent cotton and the like comprising a container, a mass or fibres loosely combined in strip form coiled therein, a wall of the container having an opening therein adjacent a free end of the coil, the coil being so disposed in the container that an end thereof may be progressively removed throughsaid opening without disturbing the body of the coil, and an auxiliary wall spaced inwardly from the wall of the container having the outlet open-v ing therein, said auxiliary wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from the interior of. the container to said outlet opening in the outer wall.

9. A dispensing package for. absorbent cotton and the like comprising a container, a mass of fibres loosely -combined in'strip form therein, a wall of the container havingan opening therein adjacent a free end of the strip, the dimensions of said opening being slightly "smaller than the normal dimensions of the strip and the strip being sodisposed inthe container that an end thereof may be progressively removed through said opening without disturbing the body of the mass, and an auxiliary wall spaced inwardly from the wall of the container having the outlet opening therein, said auxiliary'wall being provided with an opening through which the strip is threaded from theinterior of the container to said outlet opening in the outer wall.

10. A dispensing container for cotton comprising a box, a quantity of cotton in strip form therein, an outlet opening of less area than the cross-sectional area of said-strip, and means engaging the strip for guiding it to said outlet opening at a predetermined angle with respect thereto. 4-

11. A dispensing container for cotton comprising a box; a quantity of cotton in strip form therein, an outlet opening of less area than the cross-sectional area of said strip, and means within said box forlengaging said strip and guiding it r to said outlet opening at a predetermined angle with respect thereto.

12; A dispensing container'for absorbent cotton comprising a container body provided with side and end walls. and having therein a quantity of cotton in strip form, said body being closed at one end and provided at the other end with spaced outlet openings, the outer of said openings being of smaller dimensions than the. 'normal cross-sectional dimensions of said strip of cotton and'providing a restricting throat adaptedto confine the same so that hits thereof may be picked ofi by ,a pull on an externally projecting portion thereof.

- GLENN B. MEAGHER. 

